Apricots Blooming during the Winter
by Macho Man Randy Quaid
Summary: It's Christmastime again in Mitakihara City, and as usual, Tomoe Mami has planned to spend it alone. However, a crass comment from Kyubeh reminds another one of the girls just how depressing being alone can be, especially this time of the year. Although Mami may think it, this may turn out not to be just another ordinary year.
1. Chapter 1

The school bell chimed, thankfully ending the deranged Saotome Kazuko's long crazy sermon about how Y2K was simply delayed, and how it was THIS new year when the earth would finally end in a fiery armageddon. As she noticed the shuffling of the students, it disrupted her train of thought. "Huh?" she said, hearing the bell herself for the first time, "Oh, okay then, I guess that's it. You can go students." As she said this, most of the girls had already collected their belongings and were headed out the door. Madoka, Sayaka, Homura, and Kyouko, who sit in the back regularly, were themselves already halfway out the room. "And have a happy Christmas, girls!" Kazuko waved to them as they departed. The magical girls waved back at her. All except Kyouko who was too preoccupied with trying to escape from the room.

"Come on," Kyouko said, pushing her friends from behind towards the crowd at the doorway, "Let's get out of this damn glass cage!"

"Hey, quit shoving, already! You're not helping us get out any faster," Sayaka snapped back. Madoka and Homura only chuckled. The group each went to their individual lockers, collected their belongings and got the, "Hell outta there!" in Kyouko's words. Though they wouldn't have put it so crassly, the other girls shared her sentiment.

"Yes," Madoka nodded, "Christmastime at last! I can't wait!"

"And better still, Christmas vacation!" Sayaka exclaimed. "We can finally sit back and get some well deserved relaxation!" Kyouko smiled as she put her arm around her roommate, "Yeah! For once you're talkin' my language!"

"Well, you all appear excited," a monotone, childlike voice said. "Hey, Kyubey," Madoka greeted the alien cat as he appeared. "Yeah, we're all pretty happy because Christmas vacation is here!"

"I see," Kyubey said. "Yeah," Kyouko interjected, "Of course, you probably need some explanation since you're an alien, and all. See, Christmas is this holiday here where-"

"Kyouko, Kyouko," Kyubey interrupted, "You don't need to tell me this. I've been on the Earth since the dawn of human civilization. I know very well what Christmas is. I've been here since before Christmas was here."

"Oh, yeah, right. Sorry," Kyouko said. He continued, "Although why you humans make such a major fuss about your planetary winter solstice is knowledge that still exceeds my understanding. It's just the changing of a season! I thought that once our interference developed your species to a more advanced degree of scientific understanding, you would abandon your rituals, yet surprisingly, I find that your observation of the solstice has actually become even more tenacious."

Kyubey found his obvious and objective analysis of the holiday season met by silence and stares, which was to be expected. "I will never pretend to understand your species." Kyouko said.

"Man, you're such a Scrooge," Kyouko replied, pocky now sticking out of her mouth, "Leave it to you to take a perfectly fine and fun festivity like Christmas and try to ruin it."

"I am not trying to ruin it, I'm just-"

"Humbug!" Kyouko shouted back at the creature, taking him by surprise. "That's all I hear you saying!"

"What? Well, I was ju-"

"Bah humbug!" Kyouko shouted again. "That's all I hear!"

Kyubey didn't respond, which Kyouko took as a victory, not just for herself personally but for the entire human race, which was good because they didn't get to beat Kyubey's race that often. The other three broke the awkward silence left with their laughter. Kyubey detected this sentiment and decided to let the humans have it. After all, they were just children in a race of children and he was as old as time memorial.

"Alright, alright, you two! That's enough," Madoka interjected. "It's a time for peace on Earth, remember?"

"And peace across the universe, too," the voice of a familiar older girl said."Hello everyone," Mami greeted them as she approached. "Hey Mami!" everyone greeted her in return!"

"What's going on?" she asked as the group started to walk away from the increasingly emptying school-grounds.

"Ah, Kyubey just finished up telling us his own views on the Christmas season!"

"Oh, is that so?" Mami replied with a chuckle, all too familiar herself with Kyubey's Christmas observances, having tried to explain the significance of the holiday to him on multiple occasions. Alas; however, she had long ago accepted that his race just do not hold emotions to as high an esteem as her own.

The other girls, still unfamiliar with Kyubey's views, went on trying to explain it to him. Mami chuckled, and decided to leave it to them to find out for themselves. After all, there was only so much she could teach them on her own.

"It's not just about it turning from fall to winter, you space idiot!" Sayaka said, "It's more than that."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kyubey said with the same monotone voice as always, but with a subtle hint of irritation, "It's about the birth of Jesus." He wasn't keeping count but this was probably the 1500th time a magical girl has tried to explain Christmas to him and it wasn't any more fun now.

"Well, yeah, for Christians," Madoka attempted to explain, "but for nonreligious people, it's more of a day to spend with loved ones and give them gifts and show your appreciation. Like with your family!"

"Yeah, yeah," Kyubey replied again, still snug in Mami's hands, "I've heard the family thing said before. "But that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. I mean after all," he said, "Mami here still celebrates Christmas, and she doesn't have a family."

A car zoomed by the group at the crosswalk followed by dead silence. All four of the other girls turned towards Kyubey and shot him with deadly glares. Kyubey had to admit a little that he was just a bit frightened. Mami, having also heard it, just looked away.

"You little rodent!" Sayaka and Kyouko growled together.

"Eyeh! What?" the little creature asked.

"Why would you say such a thing!?" Madoka asked. "HOW could you say such a thing?" Homura shook her head, "Just when I think you couldn't possibly be any colder… you manage to surprise me," Homura said.

"What?" Kyubey asked. "Why the hostility? I am merely calling attention to an obvious and objective point!"

"Don't call attention to it!" Kyouko exclaimed. "Yeah, Kyubey," Madoka added, "It's just impolite."

"For an advanced race such as yours, you'd think you would've invented some manners!" Sayaka shook her fists. Kyubey simply stared at them silently. Before he could devise a response, Mami intercepted on his behalf. "Girls, girls, please!" Mami said, waving her arms, "It's okay!"

"What? No Mami! It isn't!" Madoka said, "It was completely wrong of him to say something so terrible like that!."

"Well, it's true, isn't it?" she replied, taking everyone by surprise a little bit.

"Huh?" they all gasped together. "Well, yeah, it's true, sure," Madoka attempted to reply, but stammered on her words, unsure of what to say. The others were no better equipped to deal with such a response. "But-but still, it was wrong of him to call attention to it and bring up, without any regard for your feelings!" Madoka finally said.

Mami smiled, "Thanks, Madoka," she said, "but believe me, it's alright."

"Are you sure?" Sayaka said. Homura nodded, "Yes, because if need be," she said in her usual way, as she made a colt .45 appear from thin air. "I can blast him just as a punitive measure. I mean, it won't do much but it might make you feel better-"

Mami shook her head again. "No! No! It's fine."

"Well, I might later, anyway," Homura said to herself, "because it does make me feel better."

"Are you sure it's alright?" Sayaka asked again. Mami shook her head again, and still keeping her smile going and keeping Kyubey in her hands, she replied, "Yes, it's perfectly alright, I assure you! I've come to terms with what happened. My family is … gone … and I accept that. There's nothing I can do about it."

The group got silent again as they processed this. "I guess…" Kyouko finally said, "but it still isn't right by me!"

"I forgive him anyways! I am used to his blatantness," Mami said, "Besides, I can take care of myself!"

Mami's assurance had the desired effect and shortly afterwards the gang was back to walking and talking on their way through the cold air. The water had frozen over in the canal below, and people were ice-skating on it. Some of them were families. Mami watched a bit as the parents helped their children on the ice, and she sighed.

Truth be told, Kyubey's coldness did bother her a small bit although she would never say it aloud, although it wasn't just Kyubey, it was everyone. Because Kyubey was right, she would be spending Christmas alone again. As normality returned, everyone gradually began to discuss their own yuletide plans in greater length. Madoka received permission from her family to let Homura spend Christmas with them and of course Kyouko would be spending Christmas with Sayaka. Mami; however, would be spending it alone. Well, except for perhaps Kyubey, who was a bit of company, but he wasn't human company.

The group reached the end of the canal and had to go their respective ways. Madoka and Homura went off in one direction and waved good-bye. "Well," Sayaka said to Mami, "we've got to get going, too. See you, Mami!"

"Alright, see you two later, then!" Mami waved her hand. Sayaka went on ahead, but Kyouko stayed. "Hey, Mami," Kyouko said quietly. "Hmm?" Mami asked, "What's up, Kyouko?"

"Are-?" Kyouko asked, "-are you going to be alright? With everything?"

Mami smiled again. "Of course I am, Kyouko! You know I will!"

"Yeah, but, that's not exactly what I meant," Kyouko said, "I know you'll be alright physically, but-" She didn't exactly know how to get her point across. She wished she had Mami's way with words then she could actually articulate her point a little more clearly. "What I mean is, if you want … I know I am spending the holiday with Sayaka, but if you want, I could come and spend it with you."

"Kyouko? What's up?" Sayaka yelled back at her upon realizing her companion wasn't with her. Kyouko waved back her. "I'll be there in a minute, okay?" She turned back to Mami. Mami chuckled, "It's alright, Kyouko really. Spend Christmas as you want."

"Really?" Kyouko asked, "Are you sure? I just-" Mami cut her off. "Yes, yes," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I'll be fine. I have little Kyubey here, after all," she reminded her. Kyouko glared at the catlike alien. "Yeah," she said, kind of to Mami, but kind of to herself, "That's what worries me!" Mami chuckled. "And most of all, I'd hate to be burden on anyone. Please don't change your plans on my account. I'll only end up feeling guilty!"

Kyouko heard what Mami was saying, but she wasn't sure. A part of her felt that Mami was just putting on a face and being strong, but another part of her felt that Mami was being a little serious. She was their souhai, after all, and she knew just how seriously titles and propriety meant to her. They never meant anything to herself personally, and usually Kyouko would poke a little fun at her for it, but today was a little different. Kyouko knew personally what it was like….

"Well, if you're sure. But if you change your mind…" Kyouko said. Mami cut her off again with a lighthearted chuckle. "Geez, Kyouko," she said, "this isn't like you at all! Usually I'm the one worrying about you." Kyouko gasped quietly as her elegant friend said this. For whatever reason, Kyouko couldn't help but blush a little bit. Kyouko chucked it up to embarrassment or something, but nevertheless, looked away just a tad. "Besides," Mami continued. Kyouko looked back towards her. "I'm sure Sayaka would like to spend Christmas with you. I don't want to cut into anybody's plans."

"Yeah," Kyouko said, "but-"

"I'll be fine, Kyouko! Really!" Mami said again, "You're so stubborn sometimes! You and Sayaka both! Now, please, go, and have a merry Christmas!"

"Well, okay," Kyouko said, looking away again, and heading towards Sayaka's way. Turning back around, she said, "Have a Merry Christmas, too, and take care of yourself!"

Mami waved to her as she ran off. "I always do," she said. She turned back and proceeded to walk her own way home.

"Why didn't you let Kyouko come spend Christmas with you?" Kyubey asked. "I mean, it was a nice gesture, and you surely can't like being by yourself all the time."

"It's impolite to burden others with your problems, Kyubey."

"I agree, but Kyouko offered herself. That doesn't seem like a burden."

"Sometimes a burden doesn't seem like one. Kyouko is supposed to spend Christmas with Sayaka. I would feel guilty if someone canceled a plan they had with someone else all on my account; it wouldn't be fair."

"Huh-" Kyubey reflected, "I suppose that makes sense enough. Well, anyway, for what it's worth, I am sorry about what I said before. It was rather careless of me." Mami stroked the creature on the head, which made him purr a little bit. She chuckled. For all his emphasis on logic and all his power, Kyubey was basically a furry space cat at the end of the day.

"It's okay," Mami forgave him. "I've come to terms with what happened, I told you. And as I keep telling everyone, I can take care of myself." She felt something land on her nose. Something cold and moist. She looked up and saw that it had started snowing. She remembered that the weather report from this morning called for mass snow. It would be a white Christmas this year, and there would be snow all over Mitakihara City. She took off her glove and let a few flakes of snow fall gently onto her warm hand for awhile. "I can take care of myself," she said again, as she watched the snowflakes melt into water from the warmth radiating off her skin. "I always do…"

End of Act I


	2. Chapter 2 - It Doth Seldom Comfort

Darkness; there was darkness. No! Actually, it was more like whiteness; an omnipresent light, that burnt intensely and yet did not blind. It was as if the world was out of focus, and yet it also appeared to make the most sense; as if one were regarding the world as it truly is, or how it should be. It was like the world seen through the eyes of a newborn, and Mami found herself in a state of peace, or at least a state of calm. There was nothing around her, but herself, and she could hear only the soothing sound of silence, which was never a true silence when one thinks about it. There is always a humming of some sort. This faint, yet deafening buzzing was interrupted finally by a familiar noise; the sound of music. It was distant initially and she could scarcely hear it, but as it encroached upon her from out of the void, she heard it, but still did not derive any meaning from it, and yet it was so uncannily familiar as if she had heard it before several times, but -

'no, i have heard it before, but when did-?"

And Mami found the source. Looking downward, she fixed her eyes on the blinking light of a car radio. The numbers were backwards. No, forwards. They were forwards. She was in the passenger's seat in the back. She didn't know how long she was there; it didn't occur to ask, not even herself. In fact, it made sense that she would be in this car right now; she was always in this car and always had been in this car; she was alone, except for the song and herself. The sound came from beyond the radio, and it surrounded her from every side; a part of the environment itself. It released a deluge of strong and mixed emotions within her. There was a scent - a familiar odor. Smelt like a pork bun.

She heard a voice, or rather she should have heard one; it was more like she expected a voice. She looked up; her mother was there before her, in the passenger seat, her father beside her in the driver's seat. Her mother reached into the bag and pulled out a pork bun. Mami stared at the pork bun, fixating on it for an eternity. She looked back up at her mother, and her mother mouthed something. She mouthed it again. Mami looked up from her book. She mouthed it again; Mami could hear only her father's song on the radio, but she knew what her mother was trying to say. Mom repeated it as she held the pork bun to her, the sight of which made Mami burst into an uncontrollable and inconsolable sob. She felt the urge to reach her mother suddenly, as if it could be the last time. The young girl held out her hand to try to reach her mother. "Mom!" she tried to say, but found herself unable to produce any noise over the music, cruelly ruling over the environment. She extended her hand further, but could not reach her mother no matter her effort. She tried to scream, "Mom!" but still couldn't produce any sound. She was choking and sobbing painfully. Her mother still tried to hand her the pork bun. Mami was getting closer and closer, and she exerted all her power into her arm; she was so close now; only an inch away.

"MOM!"

A force rocketed into the side of the car. An explosion! Mami could feel the flames slap her across the right side of her cheek as she flew along with the car into the air; her fate forever out of her control. There was no free will anymore. There never was a free will. Glass rained slowly onto her as she felt the car suspend into the air and tumble over. The song hit its crescendo. She recognized the beat clearly now, it synced with the beat of her own heart, and she could understand every word as she rode with the was a loud crashing sound as the car collided with the unsympathetic concrete road, the impact rendering their car a twisted wreck of rubber and steel. Mami tried to get up but she couldn't. She was being held back their car roof, dilapidated on to of her; keeping her prisoner. She could smell the leaking gas and felt the flames. Mami didn't know what time it was or felt it pass, but she knew she had to escape or die. She tried to cry out for her mother, but she couldn't. It constricted her chest tightly; she couldn't breathe. She looked to her side and that's when she saw it - what was once her mother, lying there, staring back at her with a pair of cold, lifeless eyes. Mami cried further; she reached out in vain towards her mother, but the roof restricted her. All the while her mother's stare pierced her, haunted her. She shut her eyes to block it out and to focus on lifting the car roof. She opened them. The corpse of her mother! It had climbed on top of the wreck, and Mami was brought face to face with these dollish eyes that were once her mother's. Mami tried to scream but couldn't. She choked and she sobbed. "I'm sorry" she tried to cry, "I'm sorry." But the judging and unforgiving glare did not release. The more Mami tried to wrestle free, the more the steel and the shape worked together to constrict her, to strangle the life out of her. They did not want her live. Mami could feel her breathe drawing away as if she were going to die, and then there it was! A cat of some kind. Sitting there before her, on top of her, waving its tail proudly. It said something, it could save her. It was too late for her mother but it could save her. This homunculus! It held her tighter as if enraged, but still it's dead eyes did not betray its emotions. Mami was at the point of near death; her blood was boiling. She focused all of her energy on breaking her arm free from the cold clutches of these demonic shapes. And she did! The cat came closer, it's own dead stare looking at her. It was close to her now. The shrew tried to grab her arm; she reached up….

And it had all disappeared from her. The music; the car; the corpse. It was all gone from her. As real as these shapes were, they suddenly vanished back into the dominion of fantasy. Mami looked around in panic. She was in her bedroom. "Mom!" she yelled again, as if she were her, as if her presence still lingered slightly, but to both her relief and despair her presence was absent. Mami breathed deeply and quickly. As she grew re-accustomed to the world, she finally broke down and wept silently to herself; the suppressed tears violently rained down from her eyes; stinging her cheeks like needles as they did so. By the time this had stopped, the glow of the room had changed from darkness to an orangish-blue hue; although, the color of the night was never true darkness when one thought about it. She looked out her window to see the crack of dawn looming over the horizon of towers and spires. The sun rises on Christmas Day! She lay down again, sniveling out the remainder of tears, but did not go back to sleep; not immediately. She lay down for what felt like hours and did nothing as Apollo performed his sacred task. Mitakihara and the world over, children would be gathering and their parents with them to celebrate the survival of another year together, but Mami could not join them. She would spend the holiday alone again as she would the next day and the next day and the next…. She drifted back to sleep again on that thought. At first she resisted Pan's flute, but then remembered the line that her mother used to read her; from her favorite play. "Do not omit the heavy offer of it:/ It seldom visits the sorrow; and when it doth,/ It is a comforter." Mami didn't believe it, but it was a quaint notion, one that helped to lull her back to sleep. As children stirred from their slumbers to rip open presents whose excitement would endure until the fall of night, Mami returned to sleep; dreamless and numb.

All the while Kyuubeh watched from the shadows, with those soulless eyes. He did not interfere.


	3. Chapter 3

When the clock blared 2:30, Mami finally mustered the effort to drag herself out of her bed if for no other reason than to satiate her appetite. She went to her kitchen and thought about making herself some breakfast or lunch, but she noticed the fridge was empty when she got to it. She slapped herself across her eyes, "Stupid Mami! You forgot to go grocery shopping!"

"I told you yesterday to go and do it!"

Mami jumped. "Ah, Kyubeh. It was you. You scared me."

"Who else could it have been?"

"You just have a knack for being invisible sometime…" This was not the first time Mami found Kyubeh lacked presence, or at least that akin to a human being. Even with him taking up residence with her, it still felt as though there was no one here at times unless Mami was consciously aware of him, which she mostly was, but it still gave her the occasional scare whenever it slipped her mind.

"Whatever," she replied, "I don't really feel like cooking much anyway," she replied.

"That's not like you. You love to cook."

She slumped into the couch with a bowl of cereal. "Sometimes humans can not be in the mood even for things they like."

She reached for the TV remote and put on whatever cheesey American Christmas special was flooding the airwaves at that time. She settled on, "It's a Wonderful Life". Mami identified with the protagonist almost immediately. A person who had grown weary of life. She shared the same feeling with him, the desire to have never been born. She felt that way sometimes, rarely as strongly as right now. However, the protagonist managed to shake off the feeling. At the end of the movie, all the town came to help him pay back his loan, and all was well. He was surrounded by his loving family and friends. And he received a book from his angel guide, with a message in it.

"Remember - no man is a failure if he has friends. Thanks for the wings."

The movie was over and Mami was just about to switch the channel until she heard a knocking at the door. She perked up in her chair, and looked around the corner. "Hmmm? Who's at the door?" she thought to herself. "I'm not expecting anyone."

"Who is it?" she shouted, confusedly, but in her cheery way, making sure to put on an appearance for her unexpected visitor.

She heard a familiar voice muffled through the door. "Choir singers."

"Eh?" she said to herself, "Choir singers? We never get choi-"

There was a girl biting down on some poky like a cigar. "Hello, Mami," she said, grinning in her usual, confident way, "Merry Christmas!"

"Ky-Kyouko?" Mami stammered. "What are you doing here so suddenly?"

"Um, to spend Christmas with ya, obviously."

"B-b-ut, you didn't have to...I told you to spend it with Sayaka."

She smirked. "Mami, since when did I EVER do as you told me? Haha!" Mami allowed herself to sneak a small smile of her own. What Kyouko said was absolutely true, so much so, that she actually felt a little embarrassed that she was even surprised. 'I mean, should I really have expected anything less from Kyouko?"

"Well," Kyouko said.

"Well? What?" Mami replied.

"I mean, I'm no expert to manners or nothin'-" she stretched her arms out and cracked her fingers, "but I believe it's the custom to invite friends in-"

Mami put her hand down off the door and onto her side. "Seriously, Kyouko," she said though her chuckle, "I didn't go shopping or anything. I have no food. I have nothing to offer you, honestly."

"Awww," Kyouko pretended to pout as she twirled the pocky around with her teeth. Stretching her hands over her head, she said, "and here I was thinking you put a lovely spread out for my coming-" Mami, again, could not help but chuckle at her friend's brazenness.

"Come on, then! Ramen is on me, then," Kyouko said. She laughed further, "You might want to get changed, Mami. I don't think I've ever seen you look quite, um, how do I put it politely, this bad! Haha!"

Mami just then realized that she was still in her pajamas. She was makeupless, their was sleep in her eyes, and her hair was a moppish mess. She must have been quite a sight.

"Right," she scratched her head, a little bit embarrassed. "Let me fix myself up a little bit," she said as she invited her friend in.

"I think you'll need to do a lot more than a little-"

Mami feigned a death glare. "Don't be sassy, Kyouko-"

"Hey, I don't get to see you like this often! I should make the most of it."

Mami knew she wasn't going to win. Chuckling, she said, "I'll be right back."

Kyouko stood in front of the TV, watching the next film on, one of the thousand versions of, "A Christmas Carol", while Mami took a quick shower, and put on some decent looking clothing. She thought about putting on some makeup; at first it seemed a little unnecessary, but she did in the end. Kyouko had come and lifted her spirits, so she wanted to put the effort in for her. Chances like this did not come around very often.

The whole process naturally took its time, almost to a point of irritation for Kyouko. 'Jeez, what is she doing in there? _Making_ new clothes?' But Mami didn't care. She knew that beauty was a work of art, and she wanted to look beautiful for this special event. Despite her grief, Kyouko did have to admit that it was worth it when the big reveal finally came.

"There is the beautiful Mami-chan!" Kyouko smiled as Mami came out from her room, twirling a part of her hair as she did so. "So, did you see your roommate walk past you in there, Mami?"

"Hmm? Roommate?"

"You, know that shrewish hag that answered the door for me? Where did she go off to?"

Mami scowled pretendingly and lightly punched her friend in the arm. "You're not funny."

"She was kind of cute though. Could you bring her back out here-"

"Stop it!" she punched again as Kyouko lightly dabbed it away. "Okay, Kyuubeh! We're off! Don't burn down the house!"

As the two of them readied themselves to leave, Kyouko really took the time to analyze Mami's appearance in contrast to before. She was almost a completely different person: smartly dressed, makeup on, earrings on. Whereas the Mami before appeared almost in disarray and despair, the one before her now appeared much more familiar: confident, strong, resistant, and willful.

"You didn't have to try THAT hard, Mami," she said, examining her outfit, "I mean, we're only going out to get ramen. It's not a date."

"Hmm? Oh, my appearance," she replied, "Well, I don't care. This is the first time I have had a proper holiday dinner with a loved one, and so I want to look right."

Kyouko's felt her face heat up a little rather suddenly.. 'Loved one?' she thought. 'That's a new one. Never heard that before.' Kyouko tried to make a joke, but she stammered on her words. Not knowing what overcame her, and wanting to fend off embarrassment, she came out with a lame, "I'm afraid I'm a little underdressed now though."

"Nonsense, Kyouko-chan, you are just perfect," Mami smiled as she linked arms with her date. "Shall we go?" Kyouko shook off her shyness and nodded. The two ventured out onto the cold streets in search of food. The chilly wind sending small flurries up into the air as they walked side-by-side. Kyouko snook a glimpse at Mami as they walked together. She really was just dazzling. 'I mean, she's always beautiful, but tonight, int hat black velvet shirt, she just looks-"

"So," Mami asked as they walked, "Why did you decide to come and see me, Kyouko? I'm sure Sayaka must have been a little disappointed."

Kyouko looked off to the side. "Nah, she wasn't really. Well, maybe a little. But she understood when I explained the situation."

"Still, Sayaka must have been looking forward to spending the holiday with you. And I thought you were with her as well."

"Well yeah, but-"

"But what?"

"But, well...look! Does a girl have to explain everything she does, for God's sake? I'm trying to be nice here!"

"Oh okay, I'm sorry, " Mami said. "It's just, not for nothing, Kyouko, but nice isn't exactly your style."

Kyouko crossed her arms and pouted, "Hmph," she said, "Maybe I'm not as bad as you and everybody else think I am!"

"I never thought you were bad."

Mami lightly smiled as she grabbed Kyouko's hand. Again, Kyouko turned her head trying to hide her blush from Mami's view, and she felt a sudden guilt as comforting and satisfying sensations were joined by less-than-innocent thoughts. She tried to repress them back for now.

"Well, urm, thanks," she tried to stammer, "That's nice of you to say, I think you're-"

"Hmm?" Mami asked, still smiling, almost coyishly, "What are you saying about me?"

"I mean, er-oh look, we're here! Hehe," Kyouko chuckled nervously and sighed in relief. They entered the ramen shop. "What do you wanna eat?"

Mami kept her thought to herself, as did Kyouko.

To be concluded.


End file.
